Pocket-knife



D. ROHRER.

POCKET KNIFE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. I9I9.

Patented D60. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

D. ROHRER.

POCKET KNIFE.

APPLmATxoN FILED MAY I5. 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Deo. 14, 1920.

@Hom/muso PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL BOHRB, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

rocKnT-KNTFE.

Specication of Letters Patent. u Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application led Hay 15, 1919. Serial No. 297,328.

To all 'whom t may concern:

. Be it known that I, DANIEL ROHRER, a citizen of Canada, residing atSpokane,'inthe county of Spokane and State of Washington, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Pocket-Knives; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to pocketknives, and it relates more specifically to an improved safety orlocking-blade knife.

One object of this invention is to avoid every possibility of the bladebeing accidentally closed while in use, but to enable it to be veryeasily opened by proper manipulation of a releasing or lock-controllingelement. A

A further object yis to provide locking means for the lock-controllingelement, so as to avoid contact of the latter with the cutting edge ofthe locking blade, also t0 prevent accidental movement of thelock-controlling element when the blade is locked in its open position.

A further object is to provide a lock-controlling element which is alsoeffective to prevent an accumulation of lint or other foreign matter inthe housing which contains the blade when closed. y

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read thefollowing details of description in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which l Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, thesection being taken only through the lock-controlling lever, the rivetswhich hold the parts of the knife handle together, and the pivot of thelocking blade.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 except that the parts are in theunlocking position,

the cam-lever or controlling element having its free end broken off.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and .2 except that the parts areinthe closed position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the locking blade and thecam-lever juxtaposed or combined to form a fish-scaling de- VlCe.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the knife that a modified form ofcam-lever is employed.

1g. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but embodying the modified form ofcam-lever shown in Fig. 7. n

F1 9 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but embodylng the modified form ofcam-lever.

4 F 1g. 10 is a View of the modified form of cam-lever detached.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in whichsimilar referencecharacters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views,and in which the knife handle 11 and blade 12 may be of any ordinary orapproprlate construction in which' the latch spring comprises ablade-locking element 13:

y invention consists in the combination of these elements with animproved lockactuating or controlling element 14. such as illustratedseparately in Fig. 2. The member 14 constitutes a combined` cam-leverand fishscaling device which is preferably formed of a sheet-metal blankand is channeled from end to end for receiving the ed e portion of theblade `12, as illustrated 1n Figs. 3, 4 and 5. At the normally inneredge of the member 14, it is formed with serrations 15 whichr areconsiderably deeper than the thickness of the sheet metal, so that theedge of the blade 12 is exposed through the series of openings formed-by the serrations 15, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The thicknessof the member 14 is substantially equal to the distance across thehousing, in the handle 11, which receives the blade when closed, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 5, and this minimizes the passage of foreignmatter into the housing, and moreover, when the member 14 is in its openposition, any lint or other foreign matter which may have accumulatedtherein may be easily blown or picked out through the series ofopenings. The outer sides o f the member 14 are preferably itted snuglyagainst the inner sides of the housing, and exert a spring actionthere.- against, so that this member will not be swung to openpositionby its frictional engagement with the knife blade at the pivotalconnection of the latter. In this connection, it is noted that the knifeblade 12 and the cam-lever 14 are pivotally connected at 16 to thehandle 11, and that a laterally and outwardly extending lip ormanipulative element 17 is formed on the member 14 for engagement by afinger or thumb of the user when it is desired to swing the lever 14from its closed position to its open position. At the inner or pivotedend of the lever 14, cam elements 18 are formed thereon, and each ofthese elements combines With the outer portion of the member 14 to forma camlever. The cam elements 18 press the locking element 13 out ofengagement with a notch 19 'in the knife blade, when the camlever 14 isin its open position (as shown in Fig. 2) but When the knife is in itsclosed position (as shown in Fig. 3), or When the blade 12 is in theopen position (as shown in Fig. l), the locking element 13 is in itsnor-` mal position, and this normal position is the locking positionwhen the blade 12 is open. However, when the blade 12 is closed, it isheld in its closed position merely by the spring action of the lockingelement. oreover, when the lever 14 is in the position shown in Fig. 4,the locking element 13 also exerts its spring action upon this lever tohold it in its cooperative relation to the blade 12, that is, in suchrelation that the blade l2 and lever 14 form a very efficientiish-scaling device.

In lieu of the lever 14, (illustrated separately in Fig. 6), thecam-lever 20 may be employed. This cam-lever is also preferably formedof a blank of sheet metal, but the fish-scaling serrations areeliminated, and a spring locking or detaining element 21 is formed onthe outer or rear end of the cam-lever. The free'end of the detaining orsecuring element 21 normally fits into a depression 22 inthe rear end ofthe handle 1 1. This provides a looking means which prevents contact ofthe edge of the blade 12 therewith. Moreover, it prevents the cam-lever20 from being accidentally swung outwardly when the knife is in use.This lever 20 is' provided with a cam 23 atits inner end, and ispivotally connected at 24, that is, at a point between the pivot 16 andthe middle portion of the handle 11.

Therefore, the cam 23 is in a position to press the locking element 13out of engage- -ment with the blade 12, when the lever 20 is in theposition shown in Fig. 9. However, when the cam lever is in its normalor self-locking position, the locking element 13 is in its nogrmalposition. This cam-lever is also formed with a manipulative element '17for the purpose described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6.

Although I have described these embodiments of my invention veryspecifically, it is not intended to limit this invention to these exactdetails of construction and arrangement, but changes may be made withandout of locking engagement With said,

blade, and a cam-lever operatable to control the locking and unlocln'ngmovements of said bladelocking element, said camlever havin a channelextending therealong to receive t e edge of the blade'.

2. The combination in a ocket-knife, of a blade, a blade-locking e ementmovable into and out of locking engagement with said blade, andacam-lever operatable to control the locking and unlocking movements ofsaid blade-locking element, said cam-lever being fulc-rumed in thehousing which receives the blade and being provided with a manipulativeelement extending transversely of the lever out of said housing over oneside thereof.

The combination in a pocket-knife, of a blade, a blade-locking elementmovable into and out of locking engagement with said blade, a cam-leveroperatable to control the locking and unlocking movements of saidblade-locking element, and yielding means to secure said cam-leveragainst accidental movement relative to the handle.

4. The combination in a pocket-knife, of a blade, a blade-lockingelement movable into and out of locking engagement with said blade, anda cam-lever operatable to control the locking and unlocking movements ofsaid blade-locking element, said cam-lever being fulcrumed in thehousing which receives the blade and being provided with a transverselyextending manipulative element which extends out of said housing overthe side thereof, said cam lever beingv formed with a spring whichextends out of said housing and engages with the rear end of theknife-handle to secure the cam-lever against accidental movement.

5. The combination in a pocket-knife, of a blade, av blade-lockingelement movable into and out of locking engagement with said blade, acam-lever operatable to control the locking and unlocking movements ofsaid blade-locking element, said cam lever having a channel extendingtherealong to receive the edge of the blade, and. means to engage thesaid lever and hold it out of contact with said edge.

6. The combination with a pocket knife having a handle, a bladepivotally7 mounted in the handle, and a blade locking strip mounted inthe handle for engaging. the blade, of a cam lever pivotally mounted inthe handle for engaging the locking strip and moving the .same out of anormal position, the cam leverbeing U-shaped in cross section to providea shield extending about the cutting edge and along the sides of theblade, the portion of the shield extending about the cutting edge of theblade being provided with cross cuts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand- DANIEL ROHBER.

